"And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him..."
(Gen.13:14a)
There may be someone close to you who is muffling the voice of God in your life. This person (or persons) may not be intentionally malicious (or may be), but their presence is distracting. When God seeks to draw us to Himself, it seems they are always there to bring us back down to earth. This individual may be someone in your own family, as in Abraham's case. This is unfortunate. Or it may be someone who has come to seem like family. One way or the other, until you are separated from him or her or them, either geographically or emotionally, the clear voice of God will seem garbled to you.
This thought lies too close to a nerve for much elaboration, I think; so I will simply leave it to the Holy Spirit to apply as He sees fit.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Thursday, January 10, 2008
The Name Says It All
“And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” (Acts 11:26b)
Here, in this busy port city of Syria with half a million people, the third largest in the Roman Empire—here is where the Gentiles who had aligned themselves with dispersed Jewish believers in Jesus Christ, were all collectively referred to as Christians, for the first time. Some have suggested it was a term of derision. No matter. What it did say was that this “Jewish religion spin-off” was no longer centered in Jerusalem and wholly made up of Jews. The common denominator was no longer a place or a people, but a Person. In fact, it was so obvious that Jesus Christ, and His death, burial, and resurrection, were now the focal point of their worship that the only way to describe them was by using His name as the root word. To this they added the suffix “-ian.”
Perhaps looking at what that Latin suffix (in relation to the word to which it is attached) means, will give us some idea of what a Christian really is. The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology gives the meanings of the suffix “-ian” as being:
1. belonging to — This is all about ownership, or Lordship, if you will. A
Christian belongs to Jesus Christ—lock, stock, and barrel, without any
question of authority. (1 Cor. 6:20)
2. coming from — If you are a Christian, it is because you have been born
of God, not because you were born in a so-called “Christian country,”
or to Christian parents. (1 Pet. 1:23)
3. being involved in — Christians migrate to other Christians. They may
associate with unbelievers, but they are involved with other believers in
Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 5:4)
4. being like — There’s a family resemblance. Not always to all their siblings;
but certainly to their Elder Brother. (2 Cor. 3:18)
Those who have a legitimate claim to the name “Christian” cannot always count on being esteemed in this world. After all, the One who gave us the name was crucified. James has told us, “Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by which we are called?” (2:7). Again, no matter. I am blessed to be able to count myself part of that glorious band of believers who call themselves—and are called by others—Christian.
What is a Christian? The name says it all.
If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to
convict you?
— David Otis Fuller
Here, in this busy port city of Syria with half a million people, the third largest in the Roman Empire—here is where the Gentiles who had aligned themselves with dispersed Jewish believers in Jesus Christ, were all collectively referred to as Christians, for the first time. Some have suggested it was a term of derision. No matter. What it did say was that this “Jewish religion spin-off” was no longer centered in Jerusalem and wholly made up of Jews. The common denominator was no longer a place or a people, but a Person. In fact, it was so obvious that Jesus Christ, and His death, burial, and resurrection, were now the focal point of their worship that the only way to describe them was by using His name as the root word. To this they added the suffix “-ian.”
Perhaps looking at what that Latin suffix (in relation to the word to which it is attached) means, will give us some idea of what a Christian really is. The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology gives the meanings of the suffix “-ian” as being:
1. belonging to — This is all about ownership, or Lordship, if you will. A
Christian belongs to Jesus Christ—lock, stock, and barrel, without any
question of authority. (1 Cor. 6:20)
2. coming from — If you are a Christian, it is because you have been born
of God, not because you were born in a so-called “Christian country,”
or to Christian parents. (1 Pet. 1:23)
3. being involved in — Christians migrate to other Christians. They may
associate with unbelievers, but they are involved with other believers in
Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 5:4)
4. being like — There’s a family resemblance. Not always to all their siblings;
but certainly to their Elder Brother. (2 Cor. 3:18)
Those who have a legitimate claim to the name “Christian” cannot always count on being esteemed in this world. After all, the One who gave us the name was crucified. James has told us, “Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by which we are called?” (2:7). Again, no matter. I am blessed to be able to count myself part of that glorious band of believers who call themselves—and are called by others—Christian.
What is a Christian? The name says it all.
If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to
convict you?
— David Otis Fuller
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Makin' Me Look Good
“Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying [arguing], as soon as I was sent for…” (Acts 10:29)
“Ahem! That wasn’t exactly the way it was, Peter.”
Aren’t you glad God chose to let us see so many of this man’s failings and foibles? One of many reasons for believing the Bible is actually the Word of God is that nothing or no one is sugar-coated. Sin is named and so are sinners. God tells us not to lie and then gives us examples of good people who did. Not to neutralize the prohibition but to humanize the perpetrator. “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin…” (1 Jno. 2:1). You and I cannot point to Bible characters to excuse our sin (“So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God” Rom.14:12); but we can look at them to affirm that none of us are special cases (“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man…” 1 Cor.10:13).
Case in point: Cornelius, a high-ranking, Italian soldier, had sent for Peter to come and tell him the way to acceptance with God. He was sincere, and God knew it; so, at the same time He instructed Cornelius in a vision to send for Peter, he instructed Peter in a vision to go to Cornelius. The trouble was, Peter, being a good Jew, did not socialize with Gentiles. And the truth is, even when God told him to do it, he bristled (v. 14). To his credit, when the men came to take him to Cornelius, he did go. What I could not help noticing, however, was that when he met Cornelius, he was careful to let him know that his coming was an indication of just how unprejudiced he really was (v. 28). Then, just for good measure, he added, “I had no objection to it at all. I didn’t offer one argument.” Well, obviously, this was not the case. But if you have read Peter’s story in the gospels and the book of Acts, you know that his first response was usually to cover for himself (Read Gal.2:11-12 also).
Let’s face it; we all want to look good. And that’s true of our Christian testimony, too. Sometimes it isn’t good enough to be known as a consistent Christian. We want to be seen as a “super-saint,” Miss or Mrs. Spirituality. And we are not above misrepresenting ourselves in order to accomplish this. At least, Peter and I aren’t!
Reputation is who people think we are; character is who God knows we are.
--- Bob Jones, Sr.
“Ahem! That wasn’t exactly the way it was, Peter.”
Aren’t you glad God chose to let us see so many of this man’s failings and foibles? One of many reasons for believing the Bible is actually the Word of God is that nothing or no one is sugar-coated. Sin is named and so are sinners. God tells us not to lie and then gives us examples of good people who did. Not to neutralize the prohibition but to humanize the perpetrator. “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin…” (1 Jno. 2:1). You and I cannot point to Bible characters to excuse our sin (“So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God” Rom.14:12); but we can look at them to affirm that none of us are special cases (“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man…” 1 Cor.10:13).
Case in point: Cornelius, a high-ranking, Italian soldier, had sent for Peter to come and tell him the way to acceptance with God. He was sincere, and God knew it; so, at the same time He instructed Cornelius in a vision to send for Peter, he instructed Peter in a vision to go to Cornelius. The trouble was, Peter, being a good Jew, did not socialize with Gentiles. And the truth is, even when God told him to do it, he bristled (v. 14). To his credit, when the men came to take him to Cornelius, he did go. What I could not help noticing, however, was that when he met Cornelius, he was careful to let him know that his coming was an indication of just how unprejudiced he really was (v. 28). Then, just for good measure, he added, “I had no objection to it at all. I didn’t offer one argument.” Well, obviously, this was not the case. But if you have read Peter’s story in the gospels and the book of Acts, you know that his first response was usually to cover for himself (Read Gal.2:11-12 also).
Let’s face it; we all want to look good. And that’s true of our Christian testimony, too. Sometimes it isn’t good enough to be known as a consistent Christian. We want to be seen as a “super-saint,” Miss or Mrs. Spirituality. And we are not above misrepresenting ourselves in order to accomplish this. At least, Peter and I aren’t!
Reputation is who people think we are; character is who God knows we are.
--- Bob Jones, Sr.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
The Promise of the Rainbow
"I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth." (Gen.9:13)
Besides the rainbow, you will find several other tokens God employs as reminders or commemorative signs between Himself and man, including: the ordinance of circumcision for Israel (Gen.17:11); the blood on the door lintels in Egypt (Exo.12:13); and Aaron's rod that budded (Num.17:10). In the case of the blood and the rainbow, the token was a promise of protection—a safeguard against the death angel, in the first instance; and in the second, assurance against the possibility of another flood of water on the earth. Obviously, God doesn't need reminders, but perhaps He chose to use this terminology to reassure us, His forgetful and fearful children.
Webster says that a rainbow is caused by "the refraction (change of direction) and reflection of the sun's rays in drops of water." That is only the secondary cause, however. The primary cause is the reflection of the Son's rays of love in drops of water. The prism of color is merely a picture of His multi-faceted grace. It reminds us, His beloved ones, that He always keeps His promises. The world will never again be overflowed by water, and you and I need never fear that we will drown in the sorrows or trials of this life. For He has promised, "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee" (Isa.43:2a).
When there's a rainbow in the sky,
The clouds that frowned go smiling by.
'Tis a promise written there;
Of our Father's love and care;
When there's a rainbow in the sky.
---John W. Peterson
Besides the rainbow, you will find several other tokens God employs as reminders or commemorative signs between Himself and man, including: the ordinance of circumcision for Israel (Gen.17:11); the blood on the door lintels in Egypt (Exo.12:13); and Aaron's rod that budded (Num.17:10). In the case of the blood and the rainbow, the token was a promise of protection—a safeguard against the death angel, in the first instance; and in the second, assurance against the possibility of another flood of water on the earth. Obviously, God doesn't need reminders, but perhaps He chose to use this terminology to reassure us, His forgetful and fearful children.
Webster says that a rainbow is caused by "the refraction (change of direction) and reflection of the sun's rays in drops of water." That is only the secondary cause, however. The primary cause is the reflection of the Son's rays of love in drops of water. The prism of color is merely a picture of His multi-faceted grace. It reminds us, His beloved ones, that He always keeps His promises. The world will never again be overflowed by water, and you and I need never fear that we will drown in the sorrows or trials of this life. For He has promised, "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee" (Isa.43:2a).
When there's a rainbow in the sky,
The clouds that frowned go smiling by.
'Tis a promise written there;
Of our Father's love and care;
When there's a rainbow in the sky.
---John W. Peterson
Monday, January 7, 2008
Faith and Forgetting
"And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish." (Matt.8:25)
There's faith, and then there's faith. In chapter eight of Matthew, the disciples saw Jesus cleanse a leper, heal a man of his palsy, a mother-in-law of her fever, and cast out many devils. Yet that evening, when they all got on a ship, and their own lives were threatened by a great storm, they were convinced that they were all going to perish. No doubt, when Jesus worked all those previous miracles, they had every confidence in His power. But when their own safety was in question, it was a different story.
It's not so hard to have faith when the stakes aren't all that high; but when our backs are really to the wall, or it's a matter of life or death, faith doesn't come quite as easily. This should not be. Don’t forget, Jesus rebuked His disciples for it. And their problem is our problem. Verse 27 tells us that after Jesus had calmed the sea, they all scratched their heads and said, "What manner of man is this?" Evidently, they didn't really know Him well enough to trust Him as they should have.
In the same way, when I fail to trust the Lord as I should, it's because I, too, have forgotten “what manner of Man” He really is, and what manner of power He possesses. We read in Daniel 11:32, "[T]he people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits."
It is said of some people, to know them is to love them; but with Jesus, to know Him is not only to love Him, but to trust Him.
There's faith, and then there's faith. In chapter eight of Matthew, the disciples saw Jesus cleanse a leper, heal a man of his palsy, a mother-in-law of her fever, and cast out many devils. Yet that evening, when they all got on a ship, and their own lives were threatened by a great storm, they were convinced that they were all going to perish. No doubt, when Jesus worked all those previous miracles, they had every confidence in His power. But when their own safety was in question, it was a different story.
It's not so hard to have faith when the stakes aren't all that high; but when our backs are really to the wall, or it's a matter of life or death, faith doesn't come quite as easily. This should not be. Don’t forget, Jesus rebuked His disciples for it. And their problem is our problem. Verse 27 tells us that after Jesus had calmed the sea, they all scratched their heads and said, "What manner of man is this?" Evidently, they didn't really know Him well enough to trust Him as they should have.
In the same way, when I fail to trust the Lord as I should, it's because I, too, have forgotten “what manner of Man” He really is, and what manner of power He possesses. We read in Daniel 11:32, "[T]he people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits."
It is said of some people, to know them is to love them; but with Jesus, to know Him is not only to love Him, but to trust Him.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Holy Ground
"Then said the Lord to him [Moses], put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground." (Acts 7:33)
I've seen preachers take their shoes off before they preached, the idea being that when they stood there, they were standing on holy ground. (I suppose this could indicate either humility or pride.) One thing I do know, however, is that when God told him to remove his precious sandals, Moses was not standing behind a pulpit; he was standing in the presence of God. And anyone who finds himself or herself in such a place will feel anything that might render him or her earth-bound—even shoes, would be too heavy!
Sometimes it's tempting to attach inordinate significance to an object, a place, or a position, that goes beyond that which God has prescribed. This is not to rob anything or anyone of legitimate respect, only to caution against Nicolaitanism or idolatry. But, more importantly, it's an exhortation not to miss those places of significance in our own lives. After all, wherever God condescends to meet with one of His children is holy ground, whether it be a desert, a mountain-top……or a rocking chair.
I've seen preachers take their shoes off before they preached, the idea being that when they stood there, they were standing on holy ground. (I suppose this could indicate either humility or pride.) One thing I do know, however, is that when God told him to remove his precious sandals, Moses was not standing behind a pulpit; he was standing in the presence of God. And anyone who finds himself or herself in such a place will feel anything that might render him or her earth-bound—even shoes, would be too heavy!
Sometimes it's tempting to attach inordinate significance to an object, a place, or a position, that goes beyond that which God has prescribed. This is not to rob anything or anyone of legitimate respect, only to caution against Nicolaitanism or idolatry. But, more importantly, it's an exhortation not to miss those places of significance in our own lives. After all, wherever God condescends to meet with one of His children is holy ground, whether it be a desert, a mountain-top……or a rocking chair.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Close at Hand
“For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved.” (Acts 2:25)
My mother used to say about something (or someone) that it (or they) was “as handy as a pocket on a shirt”; the idea being that nothing is more helpful than having what you need close at hand. In Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost, he refers back to David’s words in the last five verses of Psalm sixteen. He tells the people it was Jesus Christ whom David had in mind when he spoke those words two-thousand years earlier, as evidenced by verse twenty-seven. David said that the God who would one day come to earth, die, and be raised from the grave, was as near to him as his own right hand. The implications of that are staggering. David himself provides us with a few of them. Having God close at hand provides:
1. Stability- “…I should not be moved” (v. 25)
2. Joy – “Therefore did my heart rejoice…thou shalt make me
full of joy…” (vv. 26 & 28)
3. Direction- “Thou hast made known to me the ways of life”
(v. 28)
4. Hope – “…moreover my flesh also shall rest in hope”
(vv. 26 &27)
I don’t know about you, but over the years my prayer life has evolved into more of an ongoing dialogue than a scheduled audience. You may fault me for this, but it works for me. This is not to characterize God as being at my beck and call, but He did say, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee” (Jer.33:3). When I remember and take advantage of the fact that God is “on my right hand,” I experience emotional stability, spiritual joy, purpose of life, and unwavering hope. Because He lives, I, too, shall live…forever (John 15:19b). And as they say, “I know He’s alive; I talked to Him today!” I can talk to Him every day—all day—because He is close at hand.
He walks with me, and He talks with me;
And He tells me I am His own.
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.
- C. Austin Miles
My mother used to say about something (or someone) that it (or they) was “as handy as a pocket on a shirt”; the idea being that nothing is more helpful than having what you need close at hand. In Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost, he refers back to David’s words in the last five verses of Psalm sixteen. He tells the people it was Jesus Christ whom David had in mind when he spoke those words two-thousand years earlier, as evidenced by verse twenty-seven. David said that the God who would one day come to earth, die, and be raised from the grave, was as near to him as his own right hand. The implications of that are staggering. David himself provides us with a few of them. Having God close at hand provides:
1. Stability- “…I should not be moved” (v. 25)
2. Joy – “Therefore did my heart rejoice…thou shalt make me
full of joy…” (vv. 26 & 28)
3. Direction- “Thou hast made known to me the ways of life”
(v. 28)
4. Hope – “…moreover my flesh also shall rest in hope”
(vv. 26 &27)
I don’t know about you, but over the years my prayer life has evolved into more of an ongoing dialogue than a scheduled audience. You may fault me for this, but it works for me. This is not to characterize God as being at my beck and call, but He did say, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee” (Jer.33:3). When I remember and take advantage of the fact that God is “on my right hand,” I experience emotional stability, spiritual joy, purpose of life, and unwavering hope. Because He lives, I, too, shall live…forever (John 15:19b). And as they say, “I know He’s alive; I talked to Him today!” I can talk to Him every day—all day—because He is close at hand.
He walks with me, and He talks with me;
And He tells me I am His own.
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.
- C. Austin Miles
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